


buckle when it comes

by ursweetheartless



Series: choke chain [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Fingering, Bucky also wants to make this work, Desperation, Forced Bonding, Knotting, M/M, Past Rape/Non-con, Rimming, Sweet!Bucky shows up for a while, Tony has to get some work done, Tony wants to make this work, dark!bucky barnes, hurt!Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:48:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26655415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ursweetheartless/pseuds/ursweetheartless
Summary: Even when his heat was over, Bucky followed Tony around the tower like his shadow, always two steps behind him. Once Tony stopped scenting of desperation, and could spend more than a few hoursnotthinking about how to get Bucky’s knot inside him, Steve reappeared. Tony found the Captain’s presence grating, but he tried not to let it show. He honestly didn’t much care what Steve was up to, as long as he didn’t have to look Steve in the face. Bucky was his mate, Tony was stuck with him. Steve, he could and would ignore as much as possible. The sooner Steve got bored of whatever fantasy he had going on, the sooner he’d pack up back to the compound and the team.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Series: choke chain [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1934107
Comments: 10
Kudos: 79





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> once again, no self-control and no chill, so have this. not nearly as rape-y this time, so its got that going for it. 
> 
> also, say hi to sweet bucky, then say bye to him again because he's not sticking around very long.

Even when his heat was over, Bucky followed Tony around the tower like his shadow, always two steps behind him. Once Tony stopped scenting of desperation, and could spend more than a few hours _not_ thinking about how to get Bucky’s knot inside him, Steve reappeared. Tony found the Captain’s presence grating, but he tried not to let it show. He honestly didn’t much care what Steve was up to, as long as he didn’t have to look Steve in the face. Bucky was his mate, Tony was stuck with him. Steve, he could and would ignore as much as possible. The sooner Steve got bored of whatever fantasy he had going on, the sooner he’d pack up back to the compound and the team. 

When it came time to visit the doctor— a post-heat checkup, standard operating procedures under the Avengers new protocols —Tony was getting snippy about the whole thing. Steve rolled his eyes, complaining that the whole thing was a waste of time. Tony told him he was free to leave any time. It was Bucky who made Steve wait in the hallway though, still clingy and protective. Steve hadn’t left, at least not while Tony could see, posting himself up in the hallway and making his displeasure known to everyone who passed by. 

The doctor met them in one of the smaller, private biomedical labs on the SI lab floor. Bucky had bristled at the idea of a stranger invading their private quarters, especially so soon after their bonding, after Tony’s heat. Tony had almost laughed in his face at that, because those had been _his_ “private quarters,” actually, and the fucking knot-heads hadn’t given him any say when they’d _invaded_. Tony had swallowed the urge though, eager to keep whatever tenuous peace he could. Bucky was his mate now, and he had to make the best of the situation. With his newly clear mind, he was trying his best to be pragmatic about the whole thing. 

The doctor was very professional, bordering-on-bored detachment as she swept into the room, a cart full of diagnostic equipment pulled in behind her. Bucky still stuck close, hovering right over Tony’s shoulder and keeping one hand on Tony at all times, bare skin on bare skin. He played the role of freshly bonded Alpha perfectly, right down to the tender goofy grin. Tony died his best to play along as well, though he knew he came off slightly more restrained and nervous. 

The bond simmered away in the back of Tony’s head, a steady stream of contented warmth shot through occasionally with possessive anxiety. It spiked when she slid the blood pressure cuff up Tony’s arm, even though she was careful not to touch any bare skin, the blue vinyl of the gloves leaving an odd sensation in their wake wherever she touched. 

“Have you noticed any particular areas of soreness or tenderness on your body since the end of your heat?” She recited each question like she was reading it off of a checklist in her mind. Tony shook his head, but flinched a little when she started inflating the cuff, the cold head of the stethoscope pressed into the underside of his arm. Bucky cupped the side of his neck, his hand resting around the curve of his throat like an anchor. The doctor nodded, noting something on the cuff’s dial before she continued. 

“Any changes in body temperature? Discomfort, tingling, or loss of sensation in your extremities?” She asked, tone flat as she adjusted something, and started to inflate the cuff again. Tony shook his head. 

“Good. It’s normal to be tired and sore after your heat, especially after the bonding heat, but excessing fatigue can be a sign of hormone imbalance. Have you been sleeping well?” She pulled off the cuff, the velcro closure coming undone with a sharp tearing noise that made Tony’s heart skip for a second. He shook his head, then paused, eyes wide, and nodded. 

“Yeah, sleep has been fine,” Tony licked his dry lips and nodded again. “I’ve been sleeping fine.” 

The doctor regarded him carefully for a moment while she put the cuff away, and grabbed a little handheld device. 

“Alright. Any rapid changes in mood? Depression? Sense of hopelessness? Any change in attention span since you came out of your heat?” She held the thing about an inch from his forehead and pulled the little trigger. Tony blinked, his heart rate speeding up. He opened his mouth to speak, to tell her the truth. The _whole_ truth. Bucky tightened his fingers on the side of Tony’s neck, a warning, and stepped forward until his stomach was pressed against Tony’s upper back, a solid wall behind him. 

Tony shook his head. 

The doctor hummed and wrote something on her tablet before she stepped back, towards her cart, fiddling with the contents of a drawer. 

“Alright, Mr.Barnes, if you could step out of the room for a moment, we can finish this up.” She wasn’t looking at them when she said it, so she didn’t see the way Bucky tensed. Tony could feel it, could sense Bucky’s possessive paranoia through the bond. Tony wanted to snap, to get _angry_ , but all of that melted away into a soft exasperation at the feeling of Bucky’s thumb against his pulse. 

Tony tipped his head back for a kiss, looking up into Bucky’s face. It was meant as pantomime, a bit of misdirection, but it felt real as Bucky leaned in. It wasn’t a particularly passionate kiss, but there was a hint of teeth and shared breath passing between them, Bucky’s tongue sliding along his bottom lip. Tony felt the slightest bit dazed as he pulled back. 

“I’ll be fine. You go check in with the Captain, make sure he’s not making a scene. Please?” Tony’s voice cracked a bit on the pleasantry, and Bucky cupped his cheek as he studied Tony’s face carefully. 

Bucky nodded, and kissed him once more on the center of his forehead, a damp press of his lips, before he finally drew his hand back. 

“Alright. You behave, Darlin’,” Bucky’s eyes flicked over to the doctor for a moment, then back to Tony, “I’ll be right outside though. First sign of anything… weird, I’ll come right back. Just… if you need anything, just yell. Anything at all, Sweetheart. I’ll stay _real_ close.” 

Tony’s cheeks flushed hot under Bucky’s careful scrutiny, but he nodded anyway. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Tony answered, suddenly exhausted again. He dropped his eyes to the floor. “I’ll try my best not to fuck up in the few minutes you’re away. Promise.” 

Bucky frowned, lips pursed, and reached back to tip Tony’s head up so their eyes could meet again. 

“Love you, Darlin’,” Bucky said it seriously, face impassive but soft right around the eyes. Tony swallowed hard. 

“Love you too, Buck.” Tony knew that was the correct response. It was what Bucky needed to hear. It was what the doctor needed to hear. Tony even wanted it to be true. It satisfied Bucky, enough that he stepped away, shutting the door carefully behind him. 

The moment the door clicked shut, and the only sound in the room was the low hum of lab equipment and the thundering of his heart, Tony was gripped with a sudden impossible urge to tell the doctor everything. The bonding, Steve’s betrayal, Bucky holding him down when he couldn’t move, the council’s deal with the rogues, every sordid detail. He opened his mouth, the words hot on his tongue, but then he froze. His heart skittered, then the rush of panicked adrenaline slammed through him, his lungs struggling with the filtered air. 

Bucky was back through the door before Tony could take a full breath. He grabbed Tony, one large palm cradling the back of his head as he pulled Tony tight to his chest. Tony’s nose found the crook of Bucky’s neck, where his Alpha scent was strong, and Bucky mouthed at Tony’s gland in return. The scent of them together, mixed with adrenaline and fear and grim determination, made Tony dizzy, head spinning and stomach roiling. 

The doctor sighed heavily, and made a note on his chart, carefully looking away from their display. Bucky growled, low and almost silent, and Tony could feel the sudden hostility spiking hot through the bond. He fought through the panic that blocked his throat, swallowing hard. 

“S’fine, James. M’fine, juss a little nervous, promise,” Tony rasped, throat tight and tongue impossibly large in his mouth. Bucky wasn’t convinced, petting the back of Tony’s neck soothingly. 

“I understand this is difficult, Alpha Barnes,” The doctor kept her voice level and calm, “This is all new, and you don’t want to be apart. I understand that. I need you to try and cooperate though, so we can get through this and make sure your mate is alright. Dr.Stark won’t leave this room without you, and no one else will come in. He’ll be safe here.” 

Bucky eyed her skeptically, holding Tony tightly, still pressed into his neck. The scent is surprisingly soothing, all things considered, but Tony keeps his fingers tangled in the front of Bucky’s shirt. It’s instinct, impulse. 

“We need to do a few more tests here, tests we need you to be physically separate for. It won’t take more than ten minutes,” The doctor turns back towards them, and Bucky tightens his hold on Tony, fingers pushing into the back of his neck, very close to the pressure point there but not quite pressing into it. Tony shuddered, mewling just a touch. “I promise you, ten minutes and the two of you can return to seclusion.” 

Tony forced his breathing to even out, which wasn’t difficult with his head full of Bucky’s scent. Bucky loosened his hold a bit, stroking through Tony’s hair. 

“You okay there, Darlin’?” Bucky asked, pulling back enough to look down at Tony. Tony nodded but kept his forehead pressed to Bucky’s chest, eyes shut. He wasn’t sure he could speak again yet, not without slurring and stuttering. “Okay. I’m gonna hold you for a little more, you just breathe for me, ok Doll?” 

Tony nodded again, Bucky’s scent thick around him, the pheromones doing their work. He felt strangely safe, like nothing could touch him right then, and even though he knew it was a trick of biology he couldn’t help but relax into it. 

“Alright then,” Bucky said, stroking through Tony’s hair lightly, scritching his fingers over Tony’s scalp. He waited for Tony to sit up, and blink up at him stupidly before he stepped away. “I’m going back out there, just right on the other side of the door, keep Stevie out of trouble. I’ll stay close though, I’ll be back in the moment you need me, alright?” 

Bucky tipped Tony’s head back, two gentle fingers under his chin, so they could lock eyes again. Tony nodded, scent drunk and dopy. Bucky grinned back at him before he leaned back in for a kiss. It was deep and wet and messy, the kind of kiss that usually led somewhere, and Tony felt even more dazed when he pulled away, leaning forwards to chase his mouth. Bucky looked entirely too self-satisfied when he let himself out of the room again. 

“Okay, Dr.Stark, I need you to concentrate for a few more minutes. Then you can go back into seclusion.” She didn’t look him in the eyes, and the urge to confess Steve and Bucky’s sins was just gone, his mouth still full of Bucky’s taste. 

The tests were easy, the bond was strong and Tony was perfectly healthy aside from his pre-existing physical limitations. The doctor doesn’t ask him any delicate questions, doesn’t push for an account of what happened. She must know something though, must have picked something up, because he leaves the room with a bottle of huge horse-pill vitamins he doesn’t look forwards to taking and a little blister pack of plan-B contraceptives. 

Bucky was waiting for him right outside the room, leaning against the wall and fiddling with his phone. He smiled when Tony stepped out, putting an arm around Tony’s shoulder and pulling him tight against his side. 

“All set? Anything I should know about?” Bucky asked, as he ushered Tony towards the elevator. 

Steve was, for once, conspicuously absent. That, at least, seemed like a blessing. 

They went straight back to the penthouse, where Tony took his pills. Bucky ushered them into the bathroom for a long hot shower. He cleaned both of them, very thoroughly, until all they could smell was the faint herbal scent of the soap and the two of them. Then he lifted Tony up, back pressed against the tiled wall of the shower, and fucked him long and slow, until Tony was limp and wrung out, shaking and crying and begging. Bucky didn’t knot him, and Tony felt it like a void in his center. 

Then they took a nap. 

  


* * *

  


After that appointment, Tony got back to work. It wasn’t like it was before, but it was manageable. Bucky stuck close, shuttling Tony from the lab to the penthouse and back every day, watching him carefully and never more than an arms-length away like the bond wasn’t an ever-present hum in the back of his mind. Like Tony would _forget_ if Bucky wasn’t right there. 

No one else came by, not even Pepper, not even _Steve_. Hell, Tony didn’t even see the delivery person when they ordered food, or the interns who bring them coffee and sandwiches. Bucky told him when it was time to eat. Bucky refilled his coffee cup until lunch, then switched him to water. Bucky made sure Tony took his vitamins every day, twice a day, just like it said on the bottle, always with food and a full glass of water. Bucky made sure they both went to sleep at a reasonable hour, curled warm around Tony’s back. 

Bucky got away with it for 9 days. 

On the 10th day, Rhodey showed up. 

He swept in, looking like he was ready to burn the whole tower down, and Tony was terrified for a long moment that something terrible had happened, that it was already too late to stop it. 

Rhodey lost some of his fire when he saw Tony though, whole and full and well-rested. Tony waved dumbly from his perch on the front row of benches. Bucky eyed the both of them carefully from the stool behind Tony. He lowered the beat-up paperback he’d been reading, folding down the top corner of the page. The bond was carefully quiet in the back of Tony’s mind, which put him on edge. 

“What is your problem, Tones?” Rhodey almost-yells, a tone he’d perfected their first year together, when Tony had been too young and far too rambunctious, “You suddenly go radio silent and don’t pick up any of my calls. Then, I fly out to _rescue_ you, and you’re fine. Hell, you’re up here in the tower playing house with your new Alpha, and you didn’t even invite me to the wedding.” Rhodey looked from Tony to Bucky then back to Tony. Bucky stood, setting the book down carefully. 

“Stevie promised he was gonna give you guys the full run down as soon as he got back to the compound,” Bucky said it lightly, almost concerned, like he was genuinely sorry for making Rhodey worry. He hovered right behind Tony without actually touching him. Tony could feel the familiar super-soldier warmth on his back and he wasn’t sure which was more maddening, that Bucky was so close or that they weren’t _touching_. The bond was still and silent and Tony turned sideways, his hindbrain screaming to keep Bucky in view. 

“Yeah, I mean, he told us a whole story,” Rhodey said, shifting in place without moving closer, “but it sounded off. He definitely wasn’t telling us everything.” 

Bucky grinned, crooked and a little too sharp, eyes on Rhodey. Tony felt his mouth go dry, suddenly light-headed. The bond was a chaos of feeling suddenly, all layered together, and it pulsed like a dull ache in the back of his mind. 

“Yeah, I don’t think he was _thrilled_ with the situation. He never stopped loving Tony, I don’t think,” Bucky started off sharp but his voice softened around Tony’s name, affection shooting across the bond, giving Tony emotional whiplash, “I get it, Tony is easy to love.” Bucky laid his hands on Tony’s hips, pulled him back so they were finally flush, finally touching again. “As you can see, it ain’t whatever nightmare scenario you’ve got cooked up. Tony’s fine, I’ve got him. I’ve been taking care of him good.” 

A shot of arousal thrummed through Tony at that familiar phrase. Bucky nuzzled the side of his head, and Tony let his eyes fall shut for a moment. Rhodey looked half-convinced, one eyebrow arched. 

Tony opened his mouth, unsure what he wanted to say. He knew he should tell Rhodey everything, about Rogers and the council and Bucky holding him down. That’s what Rhodey would want. He knew he couldn’t though. Rhodey was still using braces to walk. Rhodey could hold his own in a fight, but not with a super soldier, and not without Tony’s help. Telling Rhodey would only put him in danger, and he’d already pulled Rhodey into one fight they couldn’t win. 

“Things are _fine_ , Honey Bear, honest. Just enjoying the time off the compound.” Tony hoped he sounded convincing. His voice sounded strange, but Tony hoped it would pass for arousal. “The bonding was a little impulsive, I’ll admit, then we just wanted to enjoy our honeymoon. I’m not quite ready to give up the… _quiet_ yet.” Bucky wiggled his fingers under the edge of Tony’s shirt, super-soldier hot against Tony’s skin. The contact drained whatever anxious fight was left in Tony, replacing it with something else he couldn’t quite name. Tony swallowed hard again, mouth slack and dry. 

Bucky pressed his smile into Tony’s neck and nipped at the edge of the gland. Rhodey made a strangled sort of noise, a familiar one, that conveyed fond exasperation edged in disgust. 

“Yeah, yeah, keep it in your pants you two. I don’t need to see that, I’ve seen enough of Tony’s scrawny ass to last me a lifetime, thanks.” Rhodey waved them off, but Tony could hear the grin. It was a relief, Rhodey believed them. Rhodey wasn’t in danger. 

“Well, you know where the door is then, Colonel.” Bucky purred, light and teasing, and let his teeth scrape across the edge of Tony’s gland again. Tony bit his lip hard, barely holding down the needy noise. Bucky chuckled, soothed the place he’d bitten with his tongue, even though he hadn’t really dug in. “If you wanna stick around, we’ll be having dinner in an hour or two. You two can catch up.” 

Tony rolled his eyes, but he didn’t say anything. There was a warmth in his chest, unfamiliar and light. Bucky cupped his cheek, held his head in place as he turned to look into Tony’s eyes. 

“You’re gonna be good for me, right Sugar?” Bucky asked, and Tony heard the unvoiced command in the question. “You finish this up, and we can have dinner with the Colonel before bed, okay?” 

Tony squirmed a little and opened his mouth to argue, mostly just for the sake of it. He couldn’t make the words come out though. He waited a long moment, lips parted, before he shut his mouth with an annoyed click of teeth. He nodded. Bucky smiled at him, the kind of soft smile that melted his core. 

“So good for me, Sugar. How about that burger place, the one down in SoHo?” Bucky asked, quietly, and he had to know that was one of Tony’s favorites, even if they hadn’t been there yet. Bucky shifted backward, stepping away from Tony to grab the water bottle next to his stool. “Yes, I know they don’t deliver, I can run down and grab takeout.” 

Bucky was only a few inches away now, but it suddenly felt like _miles_. He didn’t want that, didn’t want his Alpha that far away, not this soon, not _ever_. He knew it had to happen eventually, it couldn’t _not_ happen. He knew Bucky leaving him here wasn’t the same as _Bucky leaving him_ , but it felt like the first step. He _knew_ it was something he’d have to get over, he _had_ to, but- 

Bucky pulled him back against his chest, arms crossing over his front like brackets. 

“Okay, we can always use your app thing, like the groceries and stuff. They’ll pick up burgers, right? I don’t have to go anywhere.” Bucky cooed it softly into Tony’s hairline, right above his ear. Tony felt better almost instantly, then he felt shitty again, because the whole thing was irrational and dumb, and Rhodey was _right there_ to watch him act like an idiot. 

He _knew_ it was stupid. He should be fine, should be _thrilled_ to have Bucky away from him. He could remember lying across the guest bed in Steve’s quarters still, face in the bedspread and not able to move a muscle while Bucky took the last thing he had that was _his._ The thought of Bucky being more than a few inches from him was hard though. Hell, if he really _thought_ about it, the idea of Bucky not _touching_ him was difficult. 

Bucky just held him while Tony stared at the holoscreen in front of him and forced himself to calm down. He needed to calm down and let this go. He had work to do, a whole list of things he had to get done, and a limited time to finish them. He knew Bucky was absolutely serious about dinner, and he knew Bucky wouldn’t let him come back down afterward. They’d sit on the couch and watch something, maybe Bucky would read out loud from the mystery novel he was reading upstairs. Then Bucky would put him to bed. 

“Okay, Sweetheart, can you write down what you want? I’ll put in an order.” Bucky said, looking around for a pencil and paper, hands still on Tony’s stomach. Tony nodded, then shook his head. 

“I can do it if you grab my phone. It’s... I think it’s on the front bench somewhere.” Tony said, but he wrapped his hands over Bucky’s, holding him there, keeping him close. Rhodey cleared his throat pointedly, and they both turned to look at him at once. 

“How about _I_ do it? You guys aren’t untangling anytime soon.” Rhodey suggested, tone warm and amused. Tony knew he’d hear about this later. He kinda hoped Rhodey would bring it up when Bucky was out of the room. If Bucky ever left the room. Maybe Tony would be able to say something if Bucky wasn’t right there, if someone else brought it up. For now, they’d just have dinner. Tony nodded, then turned a little to look at Bucky for confirmation. Bucky took the opportunity and leaned in for a kiss. It was soft, warm, not very deep. He smiled when he pulled back, doting and soft. 

Rhodey let out an exasperated huff, but he was still smiling. 

“Alright, break it up Kids, leave a little room for Jesus please, at least before dinner. I wanna be able to _eat_ if we’re getting Rocky’s.” Rhodey pulled out his phone, looking away from them to start the order. “I know what Tony likes, what about you Barnes? How do you like your burger?” 

Bucky didn’t answer right away, nuzzling into the top of Tony’s head like he didn’t want anything but _that_. Tony had a sudden desire to know though. He didn’t know why it mattered what kind of burger Bucky liked. He shouldn’t care, right? But he did, for some reason. He wanted to know everything, hoard all the tiny bits of information he could, like if he got enough of them he’d _understand_. Like it would tip the scale and he’d suddenly know his mate, suddenly balance the equation and understand how to make this work. 

“What do you think, Doll? What’s good?” Bucky asked, relaxed as he breathed in Tony’s scent. Tony thought for a second. 

“Bacon cheeseburger, all the vegetables probably, definitely pickles — their pickles are great — have you ever had an egg on a burger? It’s a new thing, pretty good, you can get away with eating whatever you want, so you could do it.” Tony said, thoughtfully. Then another idea sprung to mind. “Platypus, see if they’ll stop at Pomme Frites on the way back uptown. Bucky, you’d love their fries, with the spicy mayo, get the spicy mayo too.” 

“Can you get something green, please? Like a salad or something,” Bucky asked quietly, polite and soft. “Tony needs more vegetables in his life.” 

Tony made a face, and Rhodey laughed. Bucky just scrunched up his face, still nuzzling through Tony’s hair. 

“Don’t give me that, Sugar. We need to take care of your... what did you call it? _Fragile, squishy human body_ was it?” Bucky’s tone was teasing. Tony flinched a little. 

“Yeah, you better be careful, Tones,” Rhodey added, looking down at his phone, “just ‘cause you’re bonded again now doesn’t mean you can let yourself go. You caught yourself a super soldier, don’t think you can keep him if you let yourself get fat.” 

Rhodey was teasing. Tony knew that. It still made something stir uncomfortably in his stomach. He was pretty sure getting fat wasn’t going to be the thing that did it, but Bucky would leave eventually. Bucky had Steve and the other Avengers after all, and Tony was just an aging squishy human. The money and the toys and his promise to the council would only hold his attention for so long before he- 

Bucky pinched his side, quick and sharp. The bond sung with disapproval and affection. Tony caught a quick glimpse of an image, Tony on the bed upstairs, stomach round and soft and heavy with pups, Bucky behind him, pushing inside of him roughly. For a moment he could _feel_ it, the sense memory of Bucky’s fat knot stretching his rim as it stuck firm inside. It was enough to make him flush and slick, his hole empty. 

Bucky made a pleased noise, low and inarguably sexual. Tony could feel the hard line of Bucky’s cock pressed against him, and he wanted to grind back against it. He wanted to bend over the worktop and present, spread himself out and beg Bucky to push back inside him, to fill him up again. He knew it wasn’t appropriate right then, but he couldn’t remember _why_. 

Rhodey reminded him, by making another heavy, exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes at them. Bucky seemed satisfied, but he didn’t let Tony go. 

“Do you have something you need to finish before dinner, Kitten?” Bucky asked, fully aware that Tony really should finish the blueprints he was working on earlier. Tony almost didn’t care about them anymore. He wanted to leave the workshop right then, wanted to go upstairs so he could get Bucky inside of him again right that moment. 

He took a deep breath and nodded. 

“Yeah, let me get these sheets done, then food,” Tony said it like a counteroffer, not the demand it had been in his head. Bucky made an affirmative noise and stepped back. 

“Alright. You have an hour maybe?” Bucky said it like a command. “As soon as the food gets here you’re saving out though, you need to eat while it’s hot.” Bucky crossed over to his stool again and picked up his book. 

“Maybe,” Bucky added, “if you’re good when food gets here, you can take some time after dinner to finish up. I’ve been distracting you this evening, which wasn’t very nice. Not more than an hour though, and no new projects.” 

Bucky didn’t wait for acknowledgment, just opened his book again, and started reading.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which they finish dinner, and take things back to the lab, where Bucky is very distracting and Tony doesn't get much work done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry sorry sorry i forgot i hadn't posted this because life has been an absolute batshit train wreck lately. i hope everyone is whole and healthy and living their best possible life given the condition of the world
> 
> and hey, i love you

Bucky didn’t participate in the dinner conversation. He ate his food quietly, let Tony feed him french fries with several assorted dipping sauces, and loomed disappointedly until Tony ate the entire little salad. Mostly, he just stayed close while Rhodey and Tony talked while they ate. They talked about SI, about the compound, about when Rhodey had to ship out again, about the newer Avengers and how they were doing. Tony didn’t make much of an effort to include Bucky in the conversation, but that was fine. Tony needed to talk to his friend, and Bucky didn’t need to insert himself. He was secure in the knowledge that Tony was his still, they didn’t have to share _everything_. 

Once the food was gone, Bucky cleared the table while Rhodey said goodbye. Tony didn’t ask him to stay. That was a surprise, but a pleasant one. He’d been sure that Tony would want to drag that out. 

Bucky followed him back down to the lab, once Rhodey had left. He sat silently, watching Tony work, until it had been a little more than an hour. He wasn’t surprised, Tony always got lost in his work, buried under new ideas and problems to solve. Bucky sidled up behind him, and nuzzled his way to Tony’s mating gland, still a little swollen but mostly healed, now bearing the mark of Bucky’s teeth in dark arcs across it. They hadn’t quite healed yet, hadn’t faded to the silver scars they would become. 

Bucky licked over them, and Tony shivered. 

“You were very good for me today, Sugar,” Bucky purred, nuzzling into the skin behind Tony’s ear, “did you like having dinner with your Colonel? Do you wanna go back to the compound, see your friends again?” 

It was a genuine question. Bucky felt like Tony could handle that. Like _they_ could handle it. 

Bucky ground forwards, rubbing against Tony. He’d been mostly hard since before dinner, since the Colonel had made that offhand comment about Tony putting on weight, since he’d had to pull up that image for Tony, of how good he’d look all fat and heavy with pups. The idea of that still made Bucky shiver a little. 

Tony didn’t respond, hands braced against the worktop in front of him, face pointed down. Bucky kept going, rubbing forwards against Tony. He could smell the beginnings of slick, the rush of arousal in his mate. Bucky leaned forwards and kissed a wet trail across the back of Tony’s neck, down the curve of his shoulder. 

“How about this, Sugar. I’m going to give you five minutes to finish up and save your work. Then, when you’re done, I’m going to reward you for being so good by bending you over this bench and filling you up.” Bucky rubbed himself firmly against the swell of Tony’s ass. It was a great ass, and Bucky was _very_ fond of it. 

Tony’s hands fumbled, stuttering in the hologram screen projected in the air over his work bench. Bucky buried his grin in Tony’s neck, where it curved down into his shoulder. 

“Relax, deep breaths, Tony,” Bucky purred, and ground forwards, rubbing the line of his hard cock over the seam of Tony’s ass. Even through both of their clothes it felt amazing. “Focus on finishing up, Sugar, Imma start on getting you ready for me. Don’t wanna hurt you when I fill you up.” 

They both knew Tony would be soft and wet and open by the time Bucky got down there, it was in his nature, but Bucky really did want to reward him. He also wanted to taste him, maybe feel Tony come apart on his fingers. Then maybe he’d be relaxed and boneless again when Bucky slid inside. 

Bucky flicked his eyes up to Tony, who was biting his lip, but he was still fiddling with the schematic in front of him. Bucky couldn’t tell what it was meant to be, not with the zoomed in exploded view. It didn’t look like the armor, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t some component of it. Tony flinched just a little when Bucky slid a hand over his stomach. 

Bucky pulled the soft lounge pants down Tony's hips, and bit his own lip because he could smell Tony’s slick without the fabric in the way. Bucky checked Tony’s hole, sliding his flesh fingers over it, dipping into Tony’s crack. It was damp already, but Bucky wanted him dripping wet before he pushed in. He tested the give by pressing his finger against it. 

Tony shivered at that, and let out a small, muffled sound. Bucky savored that noise, and pushed just a little harder, enough to barely breach him. Then he pulled back, and tested against it with his thumb. Tony stayed silent that time, and Bucky could feel the tension in his spine as he fought to stay still. He pushed his thumb all the way in, to the knuckle in one long slide, more slick already easing his way. The scent of it got stronger, fresh and sweet, as it clung to his thumb and coated Tony’s rim. 

Bucky laid an open mouthed kiss on the back of Tony’s neck, no teeth but plenty of tongue. 

“How’s your project coming along, Sugar?” Bucky asked, as he mouthed at Tony’s skin, “you finishing up there?” 

Tony nodded, but Bucky didn’t see anything new on the screen. Bucky hummed, a noncommittal and almost disappointed sound. He trailed his kisses down to the neck of Tony’s shirt, before sliding his metal hand up under the front of it to pull it off over Tony’s head. 

“You have a few more minutes, make good use of them, okay? I don’t think you’re going to get much done while I’m filling you up, Darlin’.” Bucky said, and laid another wet, open mouthed kiss on Tony’s spine. He flexed his thumb, and revelled in the way Tony’s rim shivered around it, tightening for a moment before it relaxed again with a wet release of slick. He dragged the wet digit out to the first knuckle, and it glistened in the low light of the shop. 

He looked at the screen once more, watching as Tony tried to adjust measurements with lightly shaking hands. Then, he dropped to his knees behind Tony to consider his hole up close. He spread Tony’s cheeks, one palm on each, both thumbs pulling at the edges of his rim to spread him open. 

The sweet scent of slick was stronger here, and Bucky took a moment to just savor it. Tony was glistening with slick all on his own now, his slightly stretched hole looked wet but not quite enough, not yet. 

Bucky licked a wide stripe over it, and Tony shivered with the sensation. Bucky smiled, then prodded Tony with his tongue, not hard enough to breach him yet, but hard enough that Tony felt it, hips shifting in Bucky’s hands. Then he pushed all the way in, tongue a soft spear through Tony’s rim as it spasmed around him and inside. Tony’s slick was fresh on his tongue, sweet and soft as overripe fruit. 

Bucky sealed his mouth over the outside, tongue still buried, and sucked, slurping out a thin stream of slick. He pulled back then to lick his lips, and replaced his mouth with two fingers, drilling deep inside and bending them. The moment he found Tony’s prostate he pushed on it, sliding his fingers around it in sure strokes until Tony stopped moving, hole fluttering around his fingers. 

Bucky looked up, but all he could see from this angle was the long line of Tony’s back, bowed forwards, head hanging between his arms, which were braced on the worktop in front of him. Bucky hummed, letting his fingers back a bit, taking the constant pressure off and replacing it with gentle strokes. 

Tony made a muffled sound, low and desperate, and Bucky grinned to himself. That was a start. He made a show of pulling his fingers from Tony, wet with the slick that was leaking from him now, and climbing to his feet. He stood close behind Tony without quite touching him and studied the schematics that still hung in front of Tony. He saw a few questionable changes, numbers that didn’t make sense in the context of the other pieces. Bucky made a disappointed noise, sliding his clean metal hand over Tony’s hip. 

“You haven’t made much progress there, sweet thing,” Bucky said, voice dripping with faux concern, “are you feeling okay? You should really finish up. If you wanna cum when I fill you up in a few minutes, you’ve gotta finish your work, Darlin’.” 

Bucky leaned in, pressed against Tony’s bare back, letting the line of his hard cock grind into Tony’s lower back, right above the swell of his ass. He trailed his flesh fingers, still wet with slick, over Tony’s lower stomach, right above Tony’s own hardness. 

“You wanna cum, don’t you Tony?” Bucky leaned in closer, bending over Tony’s bent neck to nuzzle into Tony’s mating gland. It was swollen and dark again, with a clear print of Bucky’s bite visible in an angry red color. Tony hissed at the contact, hands curled into tight fists on the worktop. “You should get back to work. Finish up your work so we can play.” 

Bucky nipped at Tony’s gland, worrying his teeth at the edges, just enough for Tony to feel it. Then he set his teeth over the bite, not clamping down, just fitting his mouth over it, matching each tooth to its proper place. Tony’s breath hitched, growing shallow, and Bucky felt the sudden flutter of anxiety through the bond, a thousand wings beating hopeless panic in Tony’s head. He sighed. 

“Alright,” Bucky said, mouth still brushing over Tony’s neck as he spoke, “I’ve got a counter offer for ya, sweet thing. We can do this the way I told you, and I’ll fuck you over this bench in a few minutes, but you can only cum if you finish up,” Bucky paused, taking the opportunity to scent Tony’s slick and the hopeless sour note underneath. 

“ _Or_ , you can get up on this desk and make yourself cum for me, put on a little show. Then I’ll fuck you, and put my knot in you, and you can sit on my lap and explain this to me.” Bucky waved his hand to encompass all the bits scattered across the displays surrounding them, exploded pieces of some greater whole. “Gotta admit, I’ve been puzzlin’ on it this whole time and I just can’t figure it out.” 

Bucky tilted Tony’s head up so he could look him in the eyes. Tony’s bottom lip was swollen and plump where he’d been biting it, eyes wide and bright, just a little red at the edges. He searched Tony’s face, and Tony searched back, like he was trying to figure out what Bucky wanted from him, the bond a shuttered window. Bucky slid his thumb over Tony’s lip gently. 

“I’m going to fuck you either way, Sugar. You just decide whether you can focus and finish this up for me.” Bucky tilted his head, pulling on a disarming grin, and watching Tony flush a bit under his scrutiny. “I wanna see you cum, you just decide if you can finish this first.” 

Tony opened his mouth, but didn’t say anything right away, looking deep into Bucky’s eyes. Bucky stared back, calm, watching the flickers of Omega gold dancing in Tony’s. 

“I don’t-“ Tony started, then licked his bottom lip, that sharp fucking mind working the problem, try all the angles. Bucky let him, patiently waiting for Tony's verdict. "I'm not sure I can finish this up so quick. You're a little, uh, _distracting_." Tony leaned forwards, palms flat on the worktop as he braced himself. Bucky hummed an acknowledgement into his neck. 

"That's fair, Sugar. Welcome to _my_ world, you’re _always_ distractin’ me, sittin’ pretty like that,” Bucky purred into Tony’s flushed skin, “I don’t think I could get _anything_ done with you here.” Bucky ground forwards one last time, contemplating just burying himself in Tony right now anyway, just rutting in and making Tony cum on his knot. That was Bucky’s new favorite thing. 

Instead, he took a deep breath and stepped back a little, putting space between them. 

“Why don’t you put that delectable ass up on that table then, and show me how you like to make yourself cum.” Bucky pulled over a chair, one of the leather rolling chairs with the fancy back support and bent wood frame. He sprawled out in it, not making any move to hide his arousal as he looked at Tony expectantly. 

Tony blinked at him for a moment, eyes clouded with want, before he nodded. Tony hurriedly shoved his pants down and off before he climbed up, wincing as the cold metal pressed against the warm skin of his ass. Bucky watched expectantly, but stayed silent. He raked his eyes over Tony’s body, letting himself just drink it in. He’d seen Tony naked before, spread out and desperate underneath him. He hadn’t taken time to just _look_ before though. He did now. 

Tony flushed under his scrutiny, teeth digging into the plush swell of his bottom lip. Bucky met his eyes, locked their gazes until Tony looked away. He let his eyes wander then, down to where Tony’s legs were settling wide on the edge of the worktop. Tony’s cock was hard and dripping, his pink hole leaking slick, still puffy and soft from Bucky’s earlier attention. 

“There it is, you look so wet and desperate down there, Sugar.” Bucky didn’t raise his voice, kept the tone low and intimate, just loud enough that Tony could hear him in the silent lab. “You need something in that hungry hole, don’t you? Show me how you like it, Sweetheart. Show me how you make yourself cum when you’re all shut up in here by yourself.” 

Bucky pushed an edge of command into his voice, and Tony blinked his glazed eyes and nodded. He wrapped one hand around his cock, achingly hard and damp, while the fingers of his other hand teased around his hole. Tony whined when he pushed them in, two at once, down to the second knuckle. They were wet when he pulled them halfway back out, glistening with his slick. 

Tony licked his lips, and let his mouth fall open as his eyes slid to half lidded, still watching Bucky closely. Bucky moved his hand to cup his cock through his pants, rubbing just enough to tease. He wasn’t going to cum again until he was in Tony, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t take the edge off before that. 

“What’re you thinkin’ about, Sugar?” Bucky asked, eyes flicking up to Tony’s face for a moment before he focused back on where Tony’s fingers were moving back in. “Tell me what you’re imagining in that big brain.” 

Tony swallowed, mouth opening wetly after. 

“You, Alpha,” Tony gritted out, as he twisted the fingers inside himself, his other hand moving steady and slow on his cock. “I’m thinking about you, how easy it is for you to hold me, ah, hold me up, against the wall. How you can just pick me up and put me where you want to. You can just split me open on your co~ah, your cock.” 

Tony stumbled over the words, eyes sliding closed as he pushed another finger in. Even three of them together weren’t anything like the fat thickness of Bucky’s cock, but Tony was still panting and whining around them. He blinked his eyes back open, looking to Bucky where he sat. Bucky kept his face carefully impassive, kept the hand on his own cock light and slow, but he knew Tony could feel his desire through the bond and see it in his eyes. He wanted to cross the space and pin Tony down on the desk, push into him and lock them together again. Tony wanted that too, Bucky could half see the fantasy playing out in Tony’s head and it wasn’t that different really, with Tony shoved up against the wall next to them. 

Tony whined, his hand moving faster now, eyes falling shut again. Bucky hadn’t expected him to last very long, not with the teasing he’d been doing, but he hadn’t expected it to be this quick either. It was disappointing and flattering at the same time. There would be time for everything later, time to take Tony apart brick by brick like he deserved. 

Bucky felt Tony’s orgasm start before he saw it, the tension building in his core, thighs pulled taught. 

“Alpha, can I cum?” Tony asked, and Bucky considered saying no, just for a moment. He could give Tony a few minutes to cool down and then start over again. It would be gorgeous, but Bucky didn’t have the patience for it. He wanted to push into Tony more than he wanted any of that. 

“Yeah, Sugar,” Bucky answered, letting his voice rasp low and sweet and rough, “you do what you wanna do, Sweet Thing. Cum for me, let me see you.” 

Tony panted out a harsh breath, hitching and wet, and his hand moved faster, fingers twisting and pushing in as deep as they could. 

“Bucky, Alpha,” Tony whined, teeth clenched to creaking. Bucky leaned forwards in the chair. 

“So good for me, Sugar, so sweet. Cum for me, Tony.” That was all it took to push Tony over, body tensing as he came. Tony slumped back, sprawled out across the worktop, legs splayed out wide. Bucky growled in satisfaction as he stood, finally sliding his hands over the cooling cum on Tony’s thighs and the curve of Tony’s ass. 

Tony let Bucky move his body, the only sound a hitch in his breathing as Bucky flipped him to press his stomach onto a new, cold section of the metal desktop. 

Tony was slack and wet when Bucky pushed in, loose enough that there was no resistance. Tony groaned, arms crossed in front of him to cushion his head. Tony turned to the side, so he could look back at Bucky behind him, eyes glazed and slow after the orgasm. 

Bucky didn’t take it slow, or start off gentle. He’d been waiting too long. Tony laid still, eyes closed and head turned to the side, letting his body move limply with each thrust. It was an ebb and flow, as powerful and sure as the tide, and Tony’s body moved under his gravity like a calm ocean. 

It was hypnotizing, and Bucky’s knot snuck up on him, lost in the feeling passing between them. Tony whined as it caught, Bucky felt the echoed pleasure of it through the bond. Tony hadn’t gotten hard again, now that he wasn’t in heat it was too soon for a baseline human refractory period, but Tony still seemed to enjoy it. 

Bucky leaned forwards as he came, face pressed into the back of Tony’s shoulder, snarling quietly. It flowed through the bond, wide open between them, echoing back and forth between them. 

There was a long moment of quiet contentment, both of them basking in the shared afterglow. It was Tony who moved first, a restless shifting need to get back to his work rising like static through the bond. It should have been an annoyance, but Bucky only felt a fond affection for it. He pushed up, back to standing behind Tony, though his knot still tied them tight together. 

Tony shifted, and Bucky pulled him back to seat them on one of the rolling stools, Tony sitting on his lap. 

“Can you explain all this mess, Doll?” Bucky asked, hands resting on Tony’s hips to still the instinctual desire to rock on his knot. Bucky would normally be on board with that, but he wanted this knot to last, content to be tied to his mate for the near future. 

Tony started off halting and nervous, unsure how much Bucky actually wanted to know. He found his rhythm quickly though, because Bucky really did want to know what the project was, and how it worked. Tony was gorgeous like that, engaged and open, wreathed in the cool blue light of the holograms. 

Bucky wanted to hold on to this, the deep gratitude that bubbled through was enough to make Tony falter again. Bucky rubbed small slow circles on the curve of Tony’s stomach, just below his belly button, where his treasure trail began. 

They lasted more than an hour like that, tied together, with Tony carefully explaining the project and working through the last few calculations out loud. Bucky didn’t follow it all, but he still listened intently, enjoying having Tony stuck firmly in his lap, the bond bright between them. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


Tony must have nodded off at some point, because he woke up in Bucky’s arms, the slight bump and sway a calming movement as Bucky carried him through the penthouse. Tony’s first instinct was to demand that Bucky put him down, but he stopped himself. It was kind of nice, the slow swaying movement and the warmth against his cheek. If he listened carefully he could hear Bucky’s steady breathing and the distant drum of Bucky’s heartbeat. 

He pushed the bedroom door closed after them before he set Tony down on the bed, each movement careful, gentle, like Tony was delicate or precious. Tony just kept his eyes closed instead, half enjoying the warm heavy feeling and half feigning sleep. Bucky probably knew he was awake, but neither of them acknowledged that as Bucky stripped him down and settled him in bed. 

Tony lay there, eyes closed, until Bucky slid in behind him, turning Tony onto his side so he could press along the length of his back. It was nice, warm and comforting, even when the blunt head of Bucky’s cock pushed into his sore hole. 

After Bucky’s knot had gone down, back in the workshop, Bucky had kept Tony firmly on his cock for another hour or so. Then he’d bent Tony back over the desk and slid back inside, though he hadn’t knotted Tony that time. It had been a good round, he’d pushed Tony to another orgasm, but outside of heat that was a lot for his body to handle. Tony couldn’t help the wince and whine as Bucky slid back in. 

“Hush, Darlin’,” Bucky whispered into Tony’s hair, shifting his hips to slowly slide in to the base, “I know it’s a lot, you’ve been so good for me, Sweetheart. My perfect Omega.” 

Bucky breathed, heavy and even, each breath rustling hot against Tony’s scalp. Tony kept his eyes shut, but couldn’t help the hitch of his own breath. The stretch, the feeling of _fullness_ , it should have been too much at this point but it wasn’t. It was like being _complete_ , in a way Tony hadn’t ever felt before. Bucky wasn’t even moving, wasn’t chasing another orgasm, he was just settled inside Tony, hard and thick, pressed into his core. 

“You just relax, stay still. Go back to sleep, Darlin’.” Bucky stroked his hand over Tony’s stomach, holding him back, pressing them together. Tony wanted to squirm, to shift, but he held still. He was tired, sore, and there was something freeing about just following directions. He could just lay here and _be good,_ and that was all Bucky wanted. The bond was warm and soft and sleepy between them, like Bucky was just going to slip off after him. Tony yawned, and laid his own hand over Bucky’s. 

“That’s it, Gorgeous, you just rest. Just go to sleep, Tony.” Bucky nuzzled against his scalp, laying open mouthed kisses into his hair. Tony hummed his agreement, then yawned wide and settled to sleep with Bucky all around him, bracketing Tony with his arms and tangling their legs together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments kudos and concrit are absolutely encouraged
> 
> if you're in the US please vote if you can  
> everybody stay safe
> 
> also, if you're on team Bucky redemption arc here and are looking for soft comfort for this hurt maybe this is where you should get off the train? This is the end of the sweetness for the most part. there will be more, eventually, but i have so many other things i have to write and get done that it may not be for awhile.

**Author's Note:**

> comments, kudos, and concrit are always appreciated! thanks to everyone who made it through!
> 
> <<33


End file.
